Insulation often covers pipes that transport a product in extreme temperatures, such as very low temperatures. Some insulation is formed of fiberglass, foam or wool. However, these types of insulations are often relatively absorbent, in the case of fiberglass, or relatively fragile, in the case of foam. Given the absorptive qualities of the fiberglass, in the event that a pipe leaks or breaks, the product inside the pipe (e.g., oil) may be leaking outside of the pipe and into the pipe insulation, after which the insulation is no longer usable. Because the soiled insulating material must be disposed of and new insulation must be obtained, the cost of repairing the leaking and/or broken pipe is increased. In addition, the disposal of the ruined insulation and the installation of the new insulation may be labor intensive, again driving up a cost of the broken pipe.
Thus, there remains a need to develop new pipe insulations formed of materials which are reusable in an event of a leak and/or a break, are much faster to install than existing pipe insulations, much more durable than existing protective coverings, and/or are more cost effective than existing pipe insulations.